Student sues Passaic County Community College over Trump flag Zoom dispute
Justin Caiazzo, a 29‑year‑old resident of Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, filed a complaint in New Jersey Superior Court in September 2026 against Passaic County Community College, business professor Gladys Harris and dean Peter Hynes, alleging violations of his First Amendment rights.
The lawsuit says that during a July 2021 business statistics Zoom class, Harris halted the session after spotting a Trump 2020 flag hanging on Caiazzo’s bedroom wall. She demanded he remove the flag immediately, called it “offensive,” and, when he refused, labeled him a “racist” in front of his classmates and removed him from the call.
Afterward, Harris allegedly prevented Caiazzo from participating in the next class, allowing other students to speak over him, and dismissed his request for tutoring with a suggestion to use “tutor.com.” When Caiazzo appealed to college officials, including Dean Hynes, the institution opened a review but ultimately sided with the professor, describing his political expression as “disfavored.”
The complaint states that the college offered no meaningful relief such as a transfer or a no‑credit grade, leading Caiazzo to withdraw from the course at his own expense. He claims the withdrawal cost him his associate’s degree, despite later completing the same business statistics course at William Paterson University with an 88 grade.
Caiazzo’s attorney, Marc Calello, told the New York Post that “our client was wronged on many levels,” and added, “There’s a difference between an opinion and a fact … regardless of what side you’re on.” The suit seeks unspecified damages for educational harm, emotional distress and humiliation.
The case arrives amid a broader national debate over how colleges handle political speech, with critics arguing that institutions are increasingly censoring certain viewpoints while supporters contend that campus environments must remain inclusive.
The litigation is ongoing; no response has been recorded from the college, Harris or Hynes, and the court has not yet set a trial date.
